The present invention relates generally to a thermal printing device and a tape supply cartridge therefor, and more particularly, to a thermal device for generating an image of characters on, or for transferring an image of characters from a strip of color carrying ribbon to, an image carrying tape as the result of the localized application of heat and pressure. The invention also relates to an improved tape or tape ribbon tape supply cartridge usable with such device which embodies an improved tape or tape-ribbon drive system and an improved alignment feature for aligning the tape and platen relative to the transfer station of the device.
There are a number of strip printing or transfer type devices which currently exist in the prior art and which are utilized to transfer characters from a strip of color carrying ribbon to a strip of image carrying tape. One such device employs impact or pressure in combination with a font having raised characters to transfer an image of a selected character from a ribbon to an image receiving tape. These so-called impact or pressure lettering devices have existed since the mid 1970's and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,834,507; 4,243,333; 4,402,619 and 4,624,590, among others. Cartridges for supplying tape and ribbon to these devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,226,547; 4,391,539 and 4,678,353, among others.
Printing or transfer devices also exist in which an image of a desired character is formed onto a strip of image carrying tape by transferring ink or other color from a color carrying ribbon to such tape as a result of the localized application of heat and a small amount of pressure. A typical thermal transfer device of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,319 dated May 19, 1987 and issued to Hirosaki et al.
A further thermal transfer device which currently exists employs a machine for transferring the image of a desired character from a strip of ribbon to a strip of tape and a cooperating tape-ribbon cartridge usable with the device for providing a supply of tape and ribbon to the machine transfer station.
Although the above described devices and corresponding cartridges may be satisfactory for various uses and applications, there is always a need to improve the quality of the image transfer and to reduce the amount of user maintenance. This is particularly true with respect to thermal printing devices in view of the fact that the proper alignment between the printhead, the platen and the tape or the tape and ribbon is of critical importance in obtaining a high quality image. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improvements in thermal printing and transfer devices and associated cartridges for supplying tape or tape and ribbon thereto.